Northwood's offense finally coming around

Published 8:00 pm, Saturday, September 3, 2005

DETROIT - Northwood's football team isn't used to struggling to run the ball.

NU quarterback Kyle Kolbe isn't used to getting pulled out of the game.

And NU receiver Yared Yearby isn't used to having his number called.

Certainly, it has been an unusual start for the Timberwolves' offense through the first two games of the 2005 season.

Saturday's second half, however, seemed to suggest that things might finally be getting back to normal at NU.

"It's a baby step," Northwood coach Pat Riepma said of his team's 341 yards of offense in the second half of the Timberwolves' 28-14 win over Wayne State. "But it's a step forward, and that's the key."

Yearby, a senior who led NU Saturday with 117 receiving yards and two touchdown catches, agreed that Saturday's second half was encouraging.

"We've still got a long way to go," Yearby admitted. "But we finally got the offense rolling and got one of our backs in the end zone. Hopefully, we'll just build off that and get rolling like (we were) last year."

With NU's offense managing only seven points in its first six quarters, junior quarterback Kyle Kolbe badly needed a jolt of confidence - especially after he found himself getting rotated with sophomore Eric Chrisinske in and out of games.

Kolbe found that confidence in what may wind up being an early turning point in NU's season - a16-play, 80-yard drive which took 7:20 off the clock and gave the Timberwolves the lead for good early in the third quarter Saturday.

Kolbe, who played sparingly in the first half, ended the drive with an 18-yard TD pass to Yearby.

He didn't stop there, though.

Kolbe then guided the Timberwolves on three more scoring drives in the second half, throwing another TD pass to Yearby and scoring himself for the first time this year on a 10-yard TD run in the fourth.

Afterward, Kolbe was at a loss to explain the offense's sluggish start to the 2005 season. He did seem relieved, though.

"I don't even really know what it was. If I knew what it was, I think we would've figured it out last week," he noted. "I feel a little bit better about it now, though. It feels good to get in the end zone and score some points."

Kolbe admitted that getting pulled out of games has bothered him but added that he has tried to make the best out of the situation.

"I think you use that as motivation as much as you can," he said. "Yeah, it's frustrating; it's painful. But if it wasn't, I wouldn't be here playing. I think for any athlete it's painful when you get taken out, but I came back and used that as motivation and played a pretty decent second half."

As did Yearby.

Used primarily as an outside blocker and occasional big-play threat, Yearby definitely took some pressure off NU's backs by keeping Wayne State's defense honest. Four of Yearby's five receptions, 83 of his 117 receiving yards, and both of his TD grabs came in the second half.

Yearby seems to accept his role in NU's system and is intent on making the most of his opportunities.

"We're an option team. I just play within the system. (My chances) will come," he noted. "It's a battle out there among the receivers to see who's going to get the ball, because all of our receivers … can make plays. It just comes down to who gets the chance."

"It's always nice to have Yared Yearby," Kolbe added with a smile. "He's a great receiver. All you've got to do is put the ball up there and let him make a play."